By Richard Beale…….
Result : DÜZKAYA KOSK 2 ESENTEPE KKSK 1 (Friendly).
Wednesday October 12th 2016 : Played at Çatalköy Nihat Bağcier Stadium.
Esentepe were denied a deserved draw when they gave away yet another penalty late on in the game to go down to a 2-1 defeat. I think that this is the 8th penalty Esentepe have conceded in 9 friendly matches. Hate to think how many we will give away when the real action starts on the 22nd October.
Düzkaya managed by Ex-Esentepe Coach Cemal Kir completed the double over Esentepe winning the first friendly match at Esentepe 1-0.
Düzkaya certainly were the better team in the first half taking control of the midfield and Esentepe had to be grateful to goalkeeper Ali who was in fine form. Ali who had a loan spell at Düzkaya last season dealt competently with crosses and shots fired at him.
Düzkaya took the lead in the 18th minute with a simple goal that Esentepe should have prevented. A ball was passed forward from the right to a Düzkaya player who reacted quicker than his marker and flicked the ball past Ali.
Esentepe had a chance in the 27th minute when quick thinking from Resat who took a quick throw in found Tacettin unmarked in the area, but the Düzkaya keeper came out quickly to block his shot.
Ali continued to thwart Düzkaya making a good diving save from a shot in a quick home team breakaway.
Ali almost set up Esentepe’s equaliser in the 42nd minute following a “route 1” kick which Emrah just managed to get a foot to the ball in front of the Düzkaya keeper, but the ball went just wide. Half Time:0-1.
Both teams made numerous changes to their line ups during the break. It was good to see two experienced Esentepe players taking to the field after injuries. Left midfielder Burak Tumkan making his first appearance of the season and midfielder İlyas Nıyazı who has missed most of the pre season warm ups.
It was Iİyas who set up Esentepe’s equaliser in the 62nd minute. He cleverly lost his marker before finding Tacettin who in turned found the unmarked Umar, who fired it past the keeper in a very good Esentepe move 1-1
Düzkaya should have taken the lead in the 67th minute, but somehow their striker flicked a cross over the bar from close range.
The game lost some of its sparkle with both teams feeling the effect of a warm afternoon and the game became ragged.
Düzkaya regained the lead in the 75th minute following a rare error by the normally dependable Nersin. He lost possession of the ball just outside the area and in his eagerness to make up for his mistake brought down the player who robbed him of the ball. The penalty was duly converted.
İlyas had Esentepe’s final chance of the game firing in an 89th minute free kick which brought a good finger-tipped diving save from the Düzkaya keeper. Full Time : 2-1.
Shame about the late penalty, Nersin makes few errors just one of those things. Again a good work out for the team which I gather is the last friendly game of the pre season. The team are gradually getting their jigsaw pieces to fall into place. It was heartening to see the return of Burak and Ilyas pulling on an Esentepe shirt again but both have a way to go to bring their fitness levels up to date.
ESENTEPE TEAM (first half) :Ali (gk) : Muhammed, Firat, Nersin, Mahmut : Emre Soytürk, Hüseyin, Uğurcan, Reşat : Tacettin, Emrah.
ESENTEPE TEAM (second half)
Tugrul (gk) : Muhammed (Mehmet Bebek 60), Firat (Tuğrulsan 73), Nersin, Mahmut (Asil 50) :
Umar (Emre Soytürk 87), İlyas, Hüseyin (Hurkan 60), Uğurcan (Emre Mutlu 60), Burak ; Tacettin (Mustafa 73)
